at first glance, he won’t strike most as the “creative type”. After all, he spent most of his career engineering wells for the largest oil companies.

It actually took years for Ivan to realize that design is much more than “decorative acts reserved for the talented”. In fact, he was shocked to learn that modern designers actually harness data and deduction skills to solve problems, much like engineers.

Slowly, he began to enjoy learning about design principles founded in human nature. He dreamt about applying behavioral psychology instead of laws of physics daily; hustling to delight human beings instead of prolonging assets.

He quit his job to pursue a career in design, even creating websites for specialized businesses and producing research for management consulting firms on the way. In his spare time, he’s likely picking his next book to skim, planning theological discussions with younger adults, or drafting out ideas for a solar project for his dream house.

Currently, he’s attempting another career switch. To Ivan, “failure” is just an opportunity to learn about himself and becoming a better human being.

If you’re in a similar position and could use some help or encouragement, just give him a shout.